The present disclosure relates to systems for cooling electronic and other heat-generating equipment, and more particularly to systems for cooling electronic equipment operating in a rack or cabinet.
In recent decades, advances in the computer technology have greatly increased capabilities of computer hardware. This has been accompanied by a corresponding increase in the power consumed by computers and similar electronic devices, which in turn has resulted in a need for increased cooling capability, as the consumed power is ultimately converted into heat that must be removed from the system.
Many computer systems combine multiple computer/processor boards, which operate as “servers.” These systems are typically housed in a rack or cabinet, in which several components can be mounted in a vertical stack. Existing cooling systems for electronic equipment contained in such a vertical rack often rely on air flow through the cabinet and therefore may not adequately remove heat from the system. As newer processor designs increase heat production ever further, it becomes increasingly necessary to provide cooling systems with the capacity to remove sufficient heat without adding undue space or operational requirements.
In addition, as the capacity of computer systems increases, the systems are used for more processes and play an increasingly significant role in the operation of many businesses. Thus, it becomes increasingly important to minimize computer system downtime.